Happy St. Joseph's Day!

Happy feast day to all named Joseph and Josephine.

March 19 to me has always been synonymous with the Feast of St. Joseph who is also honored with another feast day on May 1, St. Joseph the Worker. When you live in a city that for many years has been predominantly Irish Catholic, St. Joseph’s feast day is overshadowed by  the wearing of the green and St. Patrick seems to rule the month of March, a month that sees the church on it's Lenten journey with Christ.

So while many Bostonians who are wearing the green in anticipation of Sunday's St. Patrick's Day parade I offer them a pause and look upon Joseph, the man who was entrusted with the greatest gift ever given to man.

There’s not a lot of detail information known about St. Joseph. We know he was a carpenter and married the Blessed Virgin Mary and became Jesus’ stepfather. From the little that’s written we can build a picture of this man’s strengths. He was faced with a problem; the young woman he loved told him that she was with child. After some thought, trying not to hurt Mary, he made his decision and then an angel appeared telling him no to be afraid. He changed his decision to stay with Mary knowing that all around were going to gossip about them. His decision was not what a good percentage of others would have made; an example that to follow Christ is not to go with the flow.

From all we know he was the model foster father, a caring husband and an obedient son. He did all that was asked of him to keep the baby Jesus safe. He and Mary provided the building blocks for Jesus.

I just wonder how easy it was for him to truly understand that he was the foster father of Our Savior.

We are given a little peek into his life when we read in Luke 2:33 “The Child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him.” He was amazed at hearing Simeon tell him in the temple that Jesus was the Christ. Years later they would lose Jesus for three days only to find Him in the temple and Luke 2:48 tells us, “they were astonished” when they found him again three days later. I just wonder how many more times of amazement would he experience as he taught Jesus his trade. To me Joseph was Jesus’ first disciple and was called a “just man” by the Holy Spirit.

On St. Teresa of Avila’s devotion to St. Joseph:

"I wish I could persuade everyone to be devoted to this glorious saint, for I have great experience of the blessings which he can obtain from God. I have never known anyone to be truly devoted to him and render him particular services who did not notably advance in virtue, for he gives very real help to souls who commend themselves to him. For some years now, I think, I have made some request of him every year on his festival and I have always had it granted. If my petition is in any way ill directed, he directs it aright for my greater good."

Now that you've prayed, go and celebrate his feast day by having the traditional zeppole